Paving stone

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a paving stone ( 1 ), especially for road construction. The paving stone ( 1 ) has side flanks ( 23 ) preferably directed perpendicularly with respect to the laying plane. At least two coupling members ( 3, 4 ) are disposed on at least one side flank ( 23 ) wherein the coupling members correspond with the coupling members ( 3, 4 ) of an adjacent paving stone ( 1 ). At least one coupling member ( 4 ) has a width substantially corresponding to the clear width between two adjacent coupling members ( 3, 4 ) of an adjacent paving stone ( 1 ).

The invention is directed to a paving stone with side flanks preferably directed perpendicularly with respect to the laying plane, the paving stone having at least two coupling members with different widths at at least one side flank which coupling members correspond to the coupling members of an adjacent stone.

Paving stones, especially for the construction of roads, are often realized as coupling systems on account of the security against displacement. These coupling systems are based on the principle that coupling members disposed on one stone flank in the basic grid engage into the interspaces of the coupling members disposed in the basic grid on the flank of the adjacent stone and prevent a displacement of the stones with respect to one another in cooperation with the filling of the joints. In common use is the so-called “revolving system” according to which the coupling members are disposed on all side flanks of the paving stone diametrically and engage into one another in a predetermined basic grid round about independently of the position of the stones with respect to one another. According to this system the stones have a defined upper side and lower side. When laying the paving stones it has to be achieved that the stones have no contact with one another, if possible, and are rather separated from one another by joint material. By this it is guaranteed that no damages of the pavement structure on account of temperature variations and material expansions in connection therewith can occur. However, in practice one can frequently observe that the laying is done stone by stone since this is faster and more economical for the first view.

For avoiding this disadvantage it is known from EP 1 036 882 81 to provide artificial stones for paving purposes with coupling portions at which spacer is disposed in order to secure a minimum distance between the stones/coupling members. The area for contacting an adjacent stone is so small that it secures the ideal position of the stone with the desired joint distance during laying, however, is at least partly destroyed during jarring of the laid pavement. It is a disadvantage of the pre-known systems that the same Cannot be applied to stones with larger dimensional tolerances (for instance to clinker bricks made of baked clay): the reason of this is that the coupling members do no more engage into one another with larger dimensional differences of the stones. Accordingly, the toothing necessary for the coupling is not obtained. If the distance between the coupling members is selected so large that the necessary tolerance with differently large stones is given this results in an excessive laying clearance which results in laying mistakes in practice. The addition of smaller dimensional tolerances throughout several stones results in leaving the coupling grid which can result in a degradation or even in a loss of the necessary coupling effect.

The invention will remove this difficulty. It is the object of the invention to provide a paving stone with coupling system as security against displacement in the pavement structure upon horizontally occurring forces which fulfils this function even with larger dimensional tolerances of the stones, as for instance with clinker bricks made from baked clay, and minimizes the possibility of a direct contact between the laid stones. According to the invention this object is achieved by the feature that at least one coupling member has a width which substantially corresponds to the clear width between two adjacent coupling members of an adjacent paving stone.

With the invention a paving stone with coupling system as security against displacements in the pavement structure upon horizontally occurring force has been provided which fulfils this function even with larger dimensional tolerances of the stones, as for instance with clinkers made of baked clay, and which minimizes the possibilities for a direct contact between the laid stones.

A point-by-point fixation of the adjacent stones with respect to one another is achieve by the wide design in relation to known coupling member. In this manner it is prevented that dimensional differences or laying mistakes are added throughout several stones and can thus endanger the coupling system. A network of fixation points is generated throughout the whole laying area as substantial element of the coupling effect. The dimensional differences of individual stones cannot add themselves throughout the area and endanger the coupling effect. Small individual mistakes within the fixation network are taken up in the next joint, respectively. By this, the joints can slightly vary in their width without endangering the coupling effect thereby. Simultaneously, the wide coupling members acting as fixation elements allow wide chambers for the reception of coarser and more effective joint materials in the joints without generating thereby the danger of serious laying mistakes. Furthermore, the use of these fixation elements makes sense also with coupling systems without special requirements since the lateral fixation of the stones with respect to one another is reduced to the absolute minimum of contact edges. The construction of molds is also simplified thereby and is especially economical.

According to a further development of the invention two opposite side flanks have the same number of wide coupling members, respectively, wherein preferably each flank includes one coupling member and the wide coupling members of opposite flanks are disposed diametrically. By this, a uniform coupling pavement without displacement mistakes is enabled.

According to an embodiment of the invention at least one wide coupling member has a buffer bag. This buffer bag captures necessarily moved bedding Material which acts then as buffer between the stones. By this, a contact between two adjacent stones is further counteracted.

Preferably, the paving stone includes at least one lower edge which is sharp edged. This assists a uniform pushing of the bedding material.

According to another embodiment of the invention at least one interspace between two narrow coupling members is provided with a thickening. This spacing area also counteracts a surface contact between two adjacent stones.

According to another embodiment of the invention the interspace between two coupling members is significantly larger than the width of a narrow coupling member. By this, further clearances between the coupling members are provided which, for instance, are necessary with stones having larger dimensional differences or which can be desired if coarser joint material is present.

Other developments and embodiments of the invention are indicated in the remaining subclaims. Examples of the invention are shown in the drawing and are described in detail in the following. Of the drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective representation of a paving stone with rectangular basis;

FIG. 2 is a perspective representation of a paving stone with hexagonal basis;

FIG. 3 is a perspective representation of a paving stone with octagonal basis;

FIG. 4 shows the coupling of two adjacent paving stones;

FIG. 5 shows the side flank of a paving stone with another design;

FIG. 6 shows a top view of the coupling of three adjacent paving stones; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective representation of the coupling of two pairing stones with another design.

The paving stone 1 selected as example is made of concrete, clinker, baked clay or other materials usable for pavement surfaces. The paving stone 1 consists of a basic body 2 with coupling members 3 and 4. According to the example of FIGS. 1 and 4 to 7 the paving stone 1 has the shape of a right parallelepiped. According to the example of FIG. 2 the paving stone 1 has a hexagonal, shape. In the example of FIG. 3 the paving stone 1 has an octagonal shape. Other designs of the paving stones are also possible.

The basic body 2 has an upper side 21 on which one can walk and over which one can drive, a lower side 22 facing the ground and side flanks 23 formed between the upper side and the lower side. The lower side 22 is limited by a lower edge 24 going around which is formed sharply. Vertical, narrow coupling members 3 are equidistantly spaced on the side flanks 23 of the paving stone 1 according to FIG. 1. The coupling members 3 are substantially formed half-cylindrically. One or more coupling members 3 can be formed with a larger horizontal depth and thus can serve as projecting spacers. A wide coupling member 4 is disposed in the range of a front-sided end of the paving stone 1 on the two side flanks 23 of the longitudinal sides substantially diametrically with respect to one another, respectively. In the example the coupling member 4 has substantially the width of two coupling members 3. A buffer bag 41 is formed within the coupling member 4 along its vertical axis. This buffer bag 41 has a substantially half-cylindrical profile.

The paving stones 1 according to the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3 also consist of a basic body 2 and have upper sides 21 and lower sides 22 and side flanks 23 formed therebetween. A sharp lower edge 24 is provided either. The paving stones 1 according to FIGS. 2 and 3 have also coupling members 3 and 4 which are formed in a comparable manner as the coupling members of the example according to FIG. 1. In the example of FIG. 2 the wide coupling members 4 are disposed diametrically with respect to one another on two side flanks 23 which are parallel with respect to one another. In contrast to this the example of FIG. 3 has four wide coupling members 4 of which respective two are also disposed in a diametrically opposing manner on two parallel side flanks 23.

When two paving stones 1 are coupled the coupling members 3, 4 of the one paving stone project into the interspaces 5 of the adjacent paving stone formed by the coupling members 3, 4. Filling material 6 (for instance sand or stone chips) has been filled into the interspaces 5 (compare FIG. 4). In the buffer bag 41 of the wide coupling member 4 so much filling material 6 is accumulated that the two paving stones have a sufficient distance from one another so that the coupling members 3 do not contact the edges of the interspaces 5 of the respective adjacent paving stone. The wide coupling member 4 is dimensioned in such a manner that it substantially fills the whole interspace of the coupling members 3 formed on both sides of the coupling member 4 on the adjacent stone, i.e. the width of the coupling member 4 substantially corresponds with its area engaging the side flank 23 to the clear distance between two adjacent coupling members 3, 4. A securing of the position of the stones with respect to one another is obtained between possible contact lines between the wide coupling member 4 of the one paving stone and the two coupling members 3 of the adjacent paving stone. By this, the two stones are secured relative to one another against displacement.

In the example according to FIG. 5 a thickening 7 is disposed between two coupling members 3. This thickening 7 is in contact with a coupling member 3 of the adjacent paving stone and thus provides for a distance of the two stones with respect to one another, which prevents a contact of the remaining coupling members 3, 4 with the adjacent stone. This distance represents the minimum joint width. One can take from FIG. 5 by means of the arrows how material is taken along from the pavement bedding when moving the paving stones 1 and is pushed laterally aside by the coupling members 3, 4. From this, another possibility for avoiding a direct contact of the stones (“concrete to concrete”) results: the buffer bag captures the material which would otherwise be pushed away laterally during moving the stones together. When sufficient filling material 6 has been accumulated in the buffer bag 41 of the wide coupling member 4 a pushing of one stone against the adjacent stone up to the contact “concrete to concrete” is prevented.

According to the inventive paving stone 1 at least on one side flank 23 a coupling member 4 is designed so wide that it completely fills the interspace between two adjacent coupling members 3 and 3 on the adjacent side flank 23 of the adjacent paving stone 1 with the necessary tolerance. By this, a point-by-point fixation of the two adjacent paving stones with respect to one another is achieved. Simultaneously, it is prevented in this manner that dimensional differences or laying Mistakes add themselves throughout several paving stones and thus can result in an undesired position of the paving stones with respect to one another. Moreover, it is obtained by the invention that the lateral contact of coupling members, 3, 4 of adjacent paving stones 1 is reliably limited to only one point per stone flank 23.

The point-by-point fixation of two respective adjacent paving stones with respect to one another prevents that a displacement of the stones with respect to one another caused by dimensional tolerances of the stones and undesired with respect to their target position results. Since such a displacement normally continues throughout several stones with the same tolerance normally a total appearance of the pavement which is not satisfying with regard to the design results. Even the effect of the coupling system can be endangered. This is prevented by the inventive design. 

1. A paving stone with side flanks preferably directed perpendicularly with respect to the laying plane which has on at least one side flank at least two coupling members corresponding with the coupling members of an adjacent stone wherein at least one coupling member has a width which substantially corresponds to the clear width between two adjacent coupling members of an adjacent paving stone.
 2. The paving stone according to claim 1 that wherein two opposed side flanks have the same number of wide coupling members, respectively.
 3. The paving stone according to claim 1 wherein one coupling member is disposed on each side flank.
 4. The paving stone according to claim 2 wherein the wide coupling members of opposed side flanks are diametrically disposed.
 5. The paving stone according to claim 1 wherein at least one coupling member includes a buffer bag.
 6. The paving stone according to claim 1 wherein at least one lower edge is formed in a sharp-edged manner.
 7. The paving stone according to claim 1 wherein at least one interspace between two coupling embers is provided with a thickening.
 8. The paving stone according to claim 1 wherein at least one coupling member is formed as projecting spacer in an extended manner.
 9. The paving stone according to claim 1 wherein the interspace between two coupling members is larger than the width of a narrow coupling member. 